Keyblade to the Max
by Choris Onyma
Summary: Sora has escaped from the School, what is his own personal hell. But he didn't do it on his own. With help from the Flock, he is now free again, and once again looking for Riku. Riku has escaped from the school. The darkness was his friend, helped him flee, but is the price he has too pay going to be too high?
1. Questions Without Answers

A/N: I have had the beginning of this fic in my notebook for a while, so I figure I should post it, although if it's going to go anywhere I need ideas. If none come it may well just be abandoned to the world of unfinished fics… Sora's POV.

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and Maximum Ride are not mine, however much I may wish that they were.

Chapter One: Questions without Answers

I had absolutely no idea where I was, or how I got there. All I knew was that I was there, in a cramped dog crate that left no room for anything else. It was so cramped in my own miniature hell, my muscles burned like fire, such a pain that could only be rivalled by the scarring agony of becoming a Heartless. Tiredness was my only companion, not much, but that was the only thing I had in that glaringly white place, harsh smells of disinfectant and bleach searing my nostrils with every breath in that horrible, hellish place. How anyone with a heart could be so mercilessly cruel, I had no idea, but I was already beginning to doubt my own sanity. Maybe they were Heartless or Nobodies. Maybe. Maybe this was Vexen's lab. But in that ghastly room, packed into that nasty dog crate I had no answers. There was only one thing that I could possibly do; wait. So I waited, but nothing came. The last shreds of hope I had were dissipating like smoke in the wind, no-one was coming to help me, nothing was coming to save me. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. A mere day later the Whitecoats, (I had called them that because of their lab coats, ironically opposite to those the Organization wore. The difference between them and the Organization was minimal. Both of them heartless monsters) did… something. I can't remember, they must have knocked me out or something because after that the first thing I can remember is waking up, screaming in agony…

3rd person POV

The scientists were rushing around, carefully monitoring every one of the beeping machines hooked up to an unconscious boy. There was even a screen showing his DNA pattern, which was slowly and subtly changing as more injections were issued. Even when asleep he appeared to be writhing in pain, struggling against his bonds, but every subconscious effort he made was futile, because that straps that bound him were strong enough to restrain even an Eraser on steroids. The Whitecoats had literally tested them like that. Someone new to this testing facility walked up to one of her superiors and asked with a tone only a scientist can use, "I thought the growing of wings after a certain age was dangerous, and even then, they never worked as well as those who had wings from the very beginning. What's so different now?"

The man turned to look at her, she was young, but nothing about her had the kind innocence of youth, "We have mastered the process, a combination of injections and a catalyst will enable the wings to be fully functional. Maximum Ride will not be able to compete with the sheer strength this boy will have. Dylan looks like a failure in comparison."

He had waited years for this moment, the first of the next generation right in front of him. He laughed evilly. There would be more if this experiment was reluctant, although he would be a masterpiece of science, wings as if he had been born with them, strength and speed…

Sora's POV

I awoke days later, back in the dog crate and immediately gritted my teeth against the inferno of pain, everywhere, inescapable. If it were even possible there seemed to be more of me that hurt more than having my heart torn out by thousands of Heartless. Escape was hopeless, many failed attempts running through my pain-dulled mind. Keyblade: futile. Wishing for help: more useless than the last idea. How long had I been there? How did I get there? Why? So many questions, no answers. I pushed the pointless, nagging thoughts to the back of my mind and tried to focus on my situation, but nothing worked to distract me from the pain. After a while an electric shock hit me out of nowhere, on guard I scanned the area, looking for the Yellow Opera Heartless I knew I would find, but there was no Heartless, unless I counted the Whitecoat standing over my cage holding a cattle prod and a clipboard, seemingly recording something about my reaction. The electrical stabs continued, but they blurred into the pain of everything else irrelevant and almost unnoticed. Time lost meaning in a few minutes of the fiery agony that seemed to have no cause and no end. Or was it hours? Days even? Like I said, time lost all meaning. I only really noticed that the attack was continued when warm blood began trickling down my bare chest from the burns inflicted by the electricity searing my skin.

…/… …/…

Max and the flock were standing atop a skyscraper, the chill breeze that came with the altitude ruffling her feathers and tangling her already unbrushable hair. From her high vantage point she could see the place of suffering that had started the mess her life had become. The place known as the School. The place of torture that never ends. Max had been bored a total lack of action or anything to vent her hidden emotions onto in the best and only way she knew how, the thrill of danger and the satisfying feel of fur-covered flesh give way under a well-placed punch grating on her last nerves. So she had called a reckless and somewhat random trip to where it had all began. Busting into the School probably wasn't her best idea; the harsh chemical smell of the place would set her and the entire flock on edge even more so than normal. The flock didn't even know of her plan yet, but she was sure that most of them would accept her proposition without a question, driven by their own motives. If everything went according to plan the School would be in a really bad situation with no more experiments left to torture. Max sighed and looked at their target, "Okay guys, we're gonna bust into the School, kick some Whitecoat ass, and free as many fellow mutants as we can," that went far smoother than she had planned, "Any questions?"

Naturally Gazzy's hand shot straight up, waving like a mad lunatic. We all knew what he was going to ask so I answered his question before he actually asked it, "Only blow stuff up if the situation gets dire." Despite being blind, Iggy knew Gazzy was giving him an evil grin and he returned it. There would be bombs going off by the end of the day. As predicted the flock agreed, leaping at the chance to do _something_.

"Alright men, we're going in!" Max called enthusiastically before leaping off the top of the building, her flock murmuring agreements as they followed suit.

…/… …/…

After the Whitecoat left there was blood everywhere. When I tried to wipe some of it off from my back instead of feeling warm, smooth skin I felt feathers. I had decided that the feathers were mine, but how they got there was a total mystery to me, but I noticed that I wasn't alone; there were others in this impossibly torturous place. The glare from the fluorescent light overhead and the bars of the cage obscured most of their features, but I managed to make out that none of them were completely human, fused in some way with other animals. A girl with gills here, a little kid with fur there. Surrounded by sadly mutated kids, yet alone and stranded in a room of grey cement without windows, only a heavy steel door to mark the sole exit. Throughout the concrete chamber Whitecoats paced constantly, occasionally carting a crate away or carrying a limp form away in a body bag, uncaring for the thing inside that had lost its life at their hands. A clattering from beyond the steel door drew the attention of the few Whitecoats that were pacing around the cages, filing through the only way out. Hope flared within me as I heard manic laughter from beyond, accompanied by the sound of shattering glass and the muffled whump of a body hitting the wall. The steel door that had been closed upon the exit of the Whitecoats was now being eased open by a guy around my age with longish black hair and an almost emo look about him, but his most distinguishing feature was the coal black wings extending from his back. He was followed by another guy, tall and kinda pale with a milky glaze over his eyes that gave me the idea that he was blind. And then, led by a girl with wildly tangled hair strode in, followed by one African-American girl and two midgets that I assumed were siblings. And they all had freaking wings. What was wrong with this place! Despite everything I called out to them, "Could you guys get me the heck out of this cage?" I yelled, an unintended harshness in my voice, but hey, it worked. The girl laughed, not the warm, innocent laugh that would make me think of Kairi, but a more arrogant laugh that was so similar to Riku's it wasn't funny. "I like this guy," she said flippantly, "He reminds me of me. Hey Nudge, do you reckon you could get this kid 'the heck out of that cage'?" Yup, definitely like Riku. The African-American girl rolled her eyes while hopping lightly to the lock on this accursed cage, examined the lock and called back, "You're kidding right? They haven't even changed the model of lock they use from when we had to bust Angel out of here! This'll be a piece of triple-choc mud cake…" The fashion guru was cut off by Max clearing her throat really loudly and over-obviously. Nugde just rolled her eyes again and set to unlocking the lock, and made short work of that loathsome scrap of metal. "Thanks," I said quietly, stretching my aching limbs as I crawled out of my prison, relieved to finally stand up straight after not being able to even sit up properly for so long, "I was starting to lose hope of ever getting out of there. If you didn't come and bust me out I would have been there for… a while." The winged kids shuddered, and the tall blind guy nodded slowly. They seemed to be in possession of information I was not, but I wasn't in any position to ask either. Covered in blood, and wearing only jeans I no doubt looked like I got hit by a Large Belly and got squished against a wall. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place. "We know," he said, his pale skin looking almost ghostly in the fluorescent light, "We…" Iggy's words were cut short by the high-pitched screeching of a siren, piercing the near silence. Gazzy's face lit up, "THE SITUATION IS DIRE!" he yelled happily, pulling little objects out of… well seemingly everywhere on his miniature person. What was his problem? Iggy had done the same and were now soaring through the doorway, dropping the exploding bombs and giggling like lunatics the whole time.

"Nudge! Leave it and haul your sorry butt outta here!" Max screamed, hearing howls of rage as the bombs struck a wave of oncoming Erasers. She didn't need to be told twice, she practically threw the lock of the cage she was working on and shot through the door like an arrow, followed by Angel. Fang was hovering near the door and yelling at me, "Dude, use your wings! They're there for a reason!" A black blur sped through the narrow opening of freedom, leaving me and Max alone. Now I was beyond thought, fear at what the feral creatures that I had heard leaving room for nothing but instinct and adrenaline crazed actions. Without thinking I spread my wings, I had an impressive wingspan of 3.5 metres, the brown white and grey feathers creating quite an impressive sight. Max looked at me, my wings, before leading me through the maze of halls, labs and conference rooms to the sweet air of freedom. I strained my unused wings as fast as they would go and somehow out sped Max, but from here I could see the brightness of a shattered skylight, so I made a rapid upwards turn, pulling muscles in my back painfully as my broad wings caught the air and allowed me to fly upwards at an incredible speed. I flew upwards, ever upwards as I left hell behind.

A/N: A long-ish first chapter, but if I get enough reviews I can get this to go somewhere. And Max is in many ways so similar to Riku I had to include that. Now as you depart from reading this chapter you have options.

REVIEW THIS FIC! REVIEWS MAKE ME HAPPY! XD

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Go to the nearest clock tower and enjoy a Sea Salt icecream with your emotionless friends

Please, option four is the coolest, but option one makes me happy!


	2. Darkness without Restraint

A/N: I sincerely apologise to the readers who have patiently waited for this chapter for ages. I've had sort-of writers block (also known as other plot bunnies and no ideas for what you already have) and I've been drowning in assignments. Also, I've tried writing this chapter more times than I care to remember before I came to this result, one that I was finally happy with. The holidays are in just less than two weeks so my general updating should be faster… maybe.

Chapter Two: Darkness without Restraint

I was free. After being in that horrid place for who knows how long it was the best feeling in the world, the cool wind in my face, the warm sun on my wings. Drifting lazily through the infinite blue plain it was almost possible to forget that places like where I just escaped from existed… almost.  
>"Hey! Random dude! We're landing," called Nudge, angling her wings and settling into a gentle glide to the abandoned alley below that I hadn't noticed while I was lost in my thoughts. Following suit I landed heavily and rather ungracefully next to everyone else who had already landed, stumbling a few unbalanced steps forward to avoid face planting into whatever covered the filthy street. I really, really don't want to know what is down there. Panting heavily and feeling the sweat run down my back I pulled what I hoped was a smile that would help them to trust me. I was fairly sure that it wasn't going to work considering my past attempts… especially that one time in Traverse Town. I must have looked so cheesy.<p>

"So… we don't know your name. Care sharing it with us?" asked Max, seeming wary of me despite the fact that she had just helped me escape from what was my prison.

"I'm Sora," I replied, rubbing the back of my neck nervously, Max could be really intimidating.

The rest of the little group were simply observed me, watching for any slight indication that I might happen to turn on them. I watched them with the same glare, returning it with equal intensity. I never used to be like this, but that's what happens when you're experimented on and tortured. That kind of stuff changes people.

"So, Sora. How'd you get yourself into a mess like that?" she asked, apparently at ease with what had happened only about an hour previously.  
>"Uhh… to be honest, I don't remember. That time just before <em>they<em> somehow caught me. All I remember is when I came here with Riku…! He was with me when I arrived in this world, have you seen him?"

My sudden outburst caught Max off guard and for a second her stoic mask slipped to reveal pity and pain. She knew what I was going through… sort of. She had no idea what it was like to be experimented on, be rescued and find that your best friend is nowhere to be found, possibly still in the merciless hands of your captors. But then again, maybe she did know. That was the worst part. If she did know, then that meant that she had endured what I had just been through, and I would never wish that upon anyone.

"No… sorry we haven't seen anyone by the name of Riku."

I sighed; maybe he had been captured too and was still there… that's not something I would wish on anyone. The light breeze blew through the out of place trees a few metres away from the alley, but the wind couldn't reach this dark and smelly little place. It was somewhat choking, I could hardly bare to be in there despite the fact that I had been through a lot worse before.

.../… …/…

(Riku's POV)

I was so close to freedom. A few more seconds and I would have been free. It hurt to be like this, alone and forgotten where more pain and suffering was inevitable. If only that girl had been able to finish working on the lock of this accursed cage then I would be out of this hell. No such luck, I've been in here for what feels like months, but it could have been just a week. There's no way to be sure because there's no sun, no windows and I can't sleep at all because every time I drift off I dream, and I know the world in here is hell, but when I dream the nightmares are worse than the reality. I'm not one for being afraid, but… at least when I'm awake I know what I can expect. Once again, one of the innumerable scientists scornfully evaluated what they had done to me, changed me and giving me wings. It would have been great if it wasn't for the torture that followed. It never let up, never got any less painful. These scientists reminded me of what the replica had told me about Vexen, not caring for the life of what he experimented on and only focussing on the science. I glared up at the person, if I could even call him that, putting all of my fury and anger into that one hate-filled scowl. They wouldn't keep me here like this… I could feel the darkness again, this time not Xehanort's heartless, but my own darkness. I was confident I could control it, I had spent so long using it and working with it holding it like a writhing snake; a great weapon that is just as likely to bite the enemy as it is the holder. Smirking I blasted a ball of dark fire at the front of the cage, the heat melting the metal and singing the brick wall where it struck its final destination. Crawling out of the cage as fast as I could after being cramped for so long was agonizingly slow, every second taking an age. Looking around like a startled bird I dashed wherever my feet would take me before my logical mind kicked in and I realised that there was only one way out, and several mismatched people ran in, some scientists others seemed to have been experimented on to the point that they were just as wolfish as they were human. This was it, I had to get away. Calling my keyblade to my hand and spreading my grey wings intimidatingly I must have looked like something out of a child's twisted nightmare, my turquoise eyes burning with such fury it made the scientists pause before whispering something to the wolf-people. A freakishly joyous howl escaped the jaws of one of the group, answered by the others as they ploughed forward with inhuman speed. Claws and teeth met my blade, the clang of bone against metal ringing out clearly. The onslaught of adversaries never tiring as my strength began to fail. More and more attacks were slipping past my guard; I couldn't go on like this for much longer because if I hesitated for more than a few seconds it would spell the end for me. Gathering another blazing ball of dark fire I glared at them, daring them to attack me before I threw it into their faces. The explosion caused by the impact allowed me to slip past with little resistance from the dazed wolf people or the scientists. I had only ever used my wings before in harsh tests and experiments, and a few minutes ago I was bitterly wishing that they could be sated by giving me wings and leave, but now I was somewhat glad that they had because I knew exactly how to use them. Soaring through the white and narrow corridors with my wings scraping both walls I flew for all I was worth. Occasionally people would block my way, arms spread to prevent my frenzied attempt at escape but I mercilessly threw dark fireballs at them or slashed at them violently with the keyblade that was still in my hand, leaving a trail of blood and bodies in my wake. I had no idea where I was going, hell, for all I knew I was flying the wrong way and into a trap. But using the darkness was how I got out of that cage and if necessary I would kill every last living thing that tries to stop me. I wasn't going to live like a scared rat running through their impossible mazes anymore… I was going to show them what it meant to feel pain. To be left alone… while my best friend escaped was like being kicked in the face. Dark thoughts began to rise in my mind; thoughts of revenge _You know he always thought of you like this… why don't you show him why you're better?_ I forced them away; it was a lot harder than I remember, but that is one of the prices you pay for using the darkness.

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers! If it wasn't for you guys showing your support and feeding my imagination this could have taken far longer than it already has. If you have any suggestions, constructive criticism or general feedback I would love for you to post a review so I can improve my writing and… well actually continue to write!

-X


	3. A Brief Reunion

Stupid. That was the word resounding in my mind. How I was stupid for not planning where to go. How I was stupid for believing that anyone would get me out of where I had just escaped from. How everything was so messed up and stupid. I sighed and kicked the ground, biting my lip when I scraped several layers of skin off my toes and bright red blood began seeping out of the shallow scrape. That was such a stupid thing to do. Now that I thought about it, that was not just stupid, but really dumb. Like something Sora would do. Sora. I shook my head violently, I couldn't think about that right now, the darkness would use everything it could sink itself into and I couldn't afford to let that happen, not this time. Not if I wanted to get through this and still be me. I wandered aimlessly through the few uninhabited places of the bustling city, collecting my scattered thoughts. _Where do I go now?_ I thought, gazing out into the impossible glare of the city, the sounds of cars rushing past belching exhaust, the unceasing chatter of the citizens reminding me of just how vast this place really was. Extending my wings I grinned, enjoying the feeling of stretching the nigh unused muscles before yelping in pain, a sharp fiery sting lancing its way up my right wing. Grimacing I tried to fold it again, but that just sent more agony so I just left it to hang limp. Awkwardly trying to look behind me so I could see what was wrong, I saw pretty quickly what it was. Didn't take a doctor to realise that it was most definitely broken. "Damn it," I muttered harshly, a subtle anger welling up inside. Before I could do anything I needed to get this wing fixed. Glancing up the sunlight had already passed over this alley, and the sky was taking on a rather beautiful reddish hue. Sunsets were always beautiful, especially back on the islands where you could watch the sun melt into the sea that seemed to stretch on until the end of everything. That was, until a shadow swept over the sky, large and close. Immediately on my guard I called my keyblade to my hand, holding it in a manner that if I had to fight, I would be able to fight like a bat out of hell. Despite the likely stupidity of the statement I felt it was I good idea and yelled, "Who's up there?"  
>Not taking my eyes off the dark edge of the building I had seen it glide over I was shocked when a blonde-haired head peered over, a seriously unexpected response.<br>"Who's asking?" she replied, a tone in her voice that betrayed something I couldn't quite identify.  
>I was not in the mood for playing games after life decided to take a shit on me I retorted with an almost sarcastic, "Do you really need to know?"<br>Suddenly the person atop the building seemed to grow serious, "Actually, I do. Especially if I'm going to have anything to do with you." As if to emphasize her point she began moving away from the edge, and I had a feeling that if she left she wasn't coming back.  
>"Wait!" I yelled, not allowing the opportunity to slip out of my grasp, "I'm Riku."<br>I heard a familiar voice say something muffled and incredibly excited from atop the building, before my the girl looking down at me was shoved out of the way and I found myself looking into a pair of warm blue eyes. A slight smile worked its way onto my face, only showing a tiny portion of the happiness I actually felt. Waving casually I said, "Hello Sora."  
>"Riku!" he called, before just jumping of the edge of the building like the adorable moron he was. The sad thing was it wasn't moronic, not this time. I saw a pair of wings break his fall, allowing him to land without hurting himself. "How did you get here?" he asked, the unusual circumstances surrounding our meeting sinking in.<br>"I fle- arg!" my explanation was cut short, a slight shrug reminding me of my broken wing. Muttering something that made Sora widen his eyes in what could be considered an expression of both surprise and disgust I couldn't help but smirk. You know how it is sometimes, you see something that really shouldn't be funny, but for some reason it just is. Wincing a little, dark thoughts twisted their evil tendrils into my mind, dripping with malice. _Why are you even happy to see him?_ They hissed, their tainting presence like a slick of disgusting oil over the ocean, attempting to choke out what lay beneath. _He left you there without a second thought; does he actually deserve your concern?!_ A violent scream tore itself from my throat. I couldn't keep going on like this. The voice would just keep nudging me in the wrong direction, offering false advice as I tried to quash it.

Turning away I fled, my mind felt like it was being crushed by the darkness, felt like my defences build for this specific purpose were being cracked before the debris were swept away and the process started anew. If being around my best friend triggered this… I couldn't follow him. I had to stay away at all costs, at least until I learned why the darkness was so hostile. I thought I had complete dominance and control over the writhing force, but apparently not. When I felt sure they weren't pursuing me I just flopped down wherever. I didn't care where I fell, not really. I didn't care just so long as that disgustingly monstrous presence stopped making itself comfortable in my mind. There was no way I was going to let myself do that again. Not ever.

Sora's POV

It was amazing, that rush of joy when I heard Riku's voice again. To my eyes, the world just got a shade brighter, the shadows a little less ominous or dark. I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I leapt off the building to join him, flaring my wings to slow my reckless descent. And he was already running! I was so stunned I was rooted to the ground like an ancient oak. My mind was working overtime, and I wasn't really thinking. I had no idea what was really going on, why would he run? He sounded happy to see me just a second ago.  
>"THIS DOESN"T MAKE ANY SENSE!" I screamed to the sky, my mind a maelstrom of fleeting thoughts swept away by the gale of confusion before they could fully form. Why in all the worlds did this have to happen? I had only just reunited with my best friend and now he's already gone!<p>

Max approached me from the side, the others still on the roof as she tentatively touched my quivering shoulder. Deep down, I knew she was trying to console me, but I honestly didn't think she would understand. I didn't even believe that she could. "Sora," Max began, her strong, leaderly voice attempting to shatter the state I was in, "He probably ran away for a reason. Anyway, we can always search for him again."

I clenched my fists until my fingernails were digging painfully into my sweaty palms, shaking my head ever so slowly. Inhaling as much as my lungs would take without bursting like balloons I screwed my eyes shut, forcing my mind to make sense of it all. Of course there was a reason he ran! I just didn't know what it was. Snapping my eyes open I berated myself for not thinking of it sooner. "Y-yeah. He probably just needed space or something," I muttered, knowing somehow that that just wasn't it.

When we were atop the building again, the warmth of day already being sucked from the air by the arrival of night, we contemplated our next actions. The 'flock' as they called themselves were all for sleeping on the rooftop, but I couldn't force my mind to slow down, so I just sat watching the twinkling stars, reminded of how each one was a different world. I would find Riku and ask him why he ran, and then perhaps things wouldn't be so messed up, or more to the point, one of the last messed up things would be finished and accounted for. To my right I heard one of the kids moan a little he before rolling over heavily in their sleep, never waking once from their blissful slumber. I was analysing everything that we had said just before the others had gone to sleep, 'Maybe he's got secrets,' Fang suggested, his dark appearance and neutral tone making him more than a little sinister with the sun's last rays relinquishing their touch on the world. 'What if he's scared?' Angel suggested, while I immediately dismissed the thought. I could never remember one moment in my whole life where Riku was scared. Not even when the island was destroyed. _Secrets must be it,_ I thought, deciding that it could hardly be anything else.

A/N: The long awaited Chapter 3 has finally made an appearance. I have now planned out various story arcs, so maybe it will actually turn out to be reasonable and not a plotless jumble of chapters that are directed at nothing. On another note, if anyone would like to Beta this or any of my other stories, please send me a PM, as my spelling errors I tend to only notice after I upload and re-read my Fanfiction. I also changed my pen-name, to I am not X-The-Final anymore, but The Story Summoner. 


	4. This Time Is Different

A/N: Hello dear people (if anyone is actually still reading this)! Long time, no see huh? Well, I finally decided to stop being so lazy and get around to typing this. In the time that I've been gone from fanfic, I've got into several animes/mangas, replayed the first Kingdom Hearts game on expert mode (getting the Ultima Weapon as well) and made a few bargains with my dad to see if I can get him to play Kingdom Hearts. He says if I read Lord of the Rings he will, which is awesome as Lord of the Rings was on my to-read list anyway! Meh, enough of my rambling, enjoy what's taken so long to actually get to you guys.

I didn't understand. Why had he run? Even two days later I couldn't shake the question from my mind. It plagued me like some kind of bug that buzzed around your head and never went away, or an attention seeking cat rubbing against your legs and meowing loudly so that you just couldn't ignore it. A lot can happen in two days. Already I was beginning to feel more and more at home with the Flock, even though really and truly this wasn't my place. I should be out there, protecting the worlds from Heartless and Nobodies, for all I knew while I was gone they were savaging everywhere I had spent so long and tried so hard to protect. It was a grim prospect, but like the thoughts about why Riku had run away the idea refused to leave. I sighed heavily, the thick air in the shed we were taking refuge in was nasty and stuffy, but there wasn't really any point in complaining. Max had said that we had to keep our wings hidden; when I had asked her why she looked at me strangely. She didn't know about the other worlds and the strange appearances of the inhabitants. I didn't argue though, the customs of every world are different and sticking to them tends to be a great way to avoid conflict.  
>"Hey Sora, something bugging you?"<br>I looked up to see Iggy staring blankly in my general direction. Trust the blind guy to notice the sound that everyone else didn't seem to register. I contemplated what to tell him. I could tell him the simple truth that Riku's disappearance was still bothering me, but I had no idea how that would turn out. Maybe he would just tell me to forget about it and not let it worry me, but at the moment that was a no can do. Or I could lie. I could dismiss it as nothing and pretend that there wasn't anything bothering me. Iggy must've noticed my hesitation because he drew the conclusion pretty quickly that yes, there was something bothering me.  
>"Is it Riku?" he asked.<br>I winced. How had he been so darn… perceptive? Maybe it was because he was blind that he noticed the little things, but honestly it was a little unnerving. I hoped that it was just a lucky guess, that maybe Iggy was just thinking that Riku was the most likely cause of my distractedness. The rest of the Flock were no doubt listening to every word I said, each one apparently uninterested but all eavesdropping intently nonetheless. Eventually I decided that there's no point in hiding it, they'll find out anyway if it keeps hanging around and that'll be one less secret that I have to keep.

"Yeah," I muttered, barely loud enough for even myself to hear. I was exhausted. Mentally, physically, whatever-ally, you name it. Instead of continuing the conversation like a polite person I found a not-so-nasty corner and got as comfortable as possible, hoping to drift off to sleep and then think things over when my mind wasn't so hazy with tiredness. Thankfully Iggy took the hint and let it drop as well, simply shrugging it off. I had no doubt that he was thinking too, about why my best friend had acted all happy to see me then fled. I was about to start mulling it over when I stopped myself, last time that had made sleeping nigh-impossible, part of the reason I was so sleepy now. Blocking out sounds and muffling my thoughts I focussed on getting some much-needed rest.

…/… …/…

"Sora! Wake up!"

That annoying voice had been asking me to do that for a couple of minutes now, and like the other times I moaned a little and rolled over, otherwise ignoring it. I wasn't ready to wake up yet! Maybe a few more days… who am I kidding, I need to hibernate; or at least that's what it feels like. After a whole half a minute of beautiful silence I thought that perhaps the belligerent voice had given up on its futile attempts to bring me to full wakefulness. Allowing myself a half-smile at the thought I snuggled a little deeper into the corner that was serving as a bed. Not exactly comfortable, but at the moment it was warm from me sleeping on it and I was too tired to care so I breathed deeply and waited for sleep to take hold again. Unfortunately for me, that was not to last as I felt a solid shove knock me off balance and startle me into being fully awake. "What was that for?" I snapped up at the one who had awoken me ever so rudely.

I was met with an almost mischievous smirk from Max. "You weren't waking up, so I helped you." Her smirk turned into a grin as a dusted myself off and got to my feet. Through a grimy window I could see that outside the light was still that of early morning, just before sunrise, the pale light creating a sort of glow in the shed that seemed to not really have a source, instead coming from nowhere rather than everywhere. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes I noted blearily that everyone else was already up and alert. How could they all just be up before the crack of dawn like that? I considered asking, but just as I was about to say something the one whose name I'm fairly sure is Nudge began whining.

"Maaaaaaaaax," she moaned in a way that made Fang twitch in annoyance, "I'm starving!"  
>Despite being apparently irritated, Fang spoke up and seconded that, followed by verbal agreements from everyone else. Joining the chorus, my stomach decided to make its presence known, growling more loudly than I ever remember it growling.<p>

"Where do you suggest we go?" Max asked them, turning their protesting at their empty stomachs right back at them. Fortunately for the rest of the Flock, they knew Max well enough that she was just messing with them and that before long they would be soaring through the cool morning air on the hunt for food. I, however, was not so lucky. I didn't have the slightest clue on where we were going to get food, and I had no idea that Max wasn't serious. When I looked at Max with a fusion of both confusion and apprehension, I was met with a cacophony of laughter, the loudest emanating from the Gasman.

"Come on guys, let's go," Max said, a broad smile plastered on her face as she forced open the rusted door of the shed we had taken up temporary residence in. The harsh grating was enough to make me wince, and Angel looked around apprehensively, obviously hoping that Max hadn't managed to wake up the people in any nearby houses that could possibly hinder any of our food hunting endeavours. With as much stealth and silence as possible, we took to the air, the chilly morning sky providing poor flying conditions, as there wasn't many updrafts so there was a lot of flapping involved in getting aloft. Everything was so different in the half-light. It was so quiet, in harsh contrast to the other times I had seen the city, only occasionally would a car streak along the road, and sometimes an early jogger would be out doing their exercise for the morning. Apart from that, it was blissfully quiet. Unfortunately, that gave me way too much reason for my mind to wander. _Why did he run?_ I thought, flying with only just registering my surroundings. _He had a reason. Of course he had a reason. I just need to find him and ask what it is._ A wave of nostalgia hit me as I thought of just how similar this was to my first journey with the keyblade. Searching for Riku and Kairi, but Riku was almost always one step ahead of me. A slight smile touched my face as the sun finally began to peek its golden rays over the horizon. This wasn't going to be like that time. This was going to be different.


End file.
